BBC

Band: Senior Leader

Contract: 1 x continuing (permanent) contract

Location: Flexible. Can be based in any of the BBC’s UK locations, with regular travel required

We’re happy to discuss flexible working. Please indicate your choice under the flexible working question in the application. There is no obligation to raise this at the application stage but if you wish to do so, you are welcome to. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

• Excellent career progression – the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.
• Unrivalled training and development opportunities – our in-house Academy hosts a wide range of internal and external courses and certification.
• Benefits – we offer a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week for work-life balance and 26 days (1 of which is a corporation day) with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more.

Job Introduction

The Group Financial Controller will report directly into the Group CFO and be a key member of the central group finance team. The role will lead the BBC’s performance management, control and corporate reporting activities, providing financial leadership to all BBC divisions, with an international as well as domestic focus.

As well as leading performance management and controllership, the role will also provide and contribute to a high-level perspective to build strategy for the BBC. The Group Financial Controller will be accountable for Tax, Treasury, Financial Reporting & Strategic Finance and International Compliance and will be directly responsible for a team of c.30. The role will also work closely with the Finance Director, Financial Planning and Insights on the Corporate Finance activity.

The Group Finance Controller will act as a member of the Finance and Operations leadership team, alongside the Divisional Finance Directors of the BBC’s Audience facing functions (News, Content, Nations), BBC COO and Corporate Functions. The role will also work in close partnership with the Finance Director, Financial Planning and Insights, also a peer, to create a long term financial roadmap and ambition for the BBC.

Main Responsibilities

• Partner with Divisional Finance Directors, ensuring they exercise responsibility and accountability for their divisional finances.
• Provide leadership to the Group Tax, Treasury, Finance Reporting and International Compliance & Controls ensuring a high quality of financial service is provided across the business.
• Take ownership of the evolution, development and implementation of the data and management information function across BBC finance.
• Provide effective leadership for the BBC Group Tax and Treasury and ensure that overall BBC Group financial strategy is supported by these teams, with accountability for these functions across the BBC Group.
• Provide leadership on treasury projects including assessing long-term financing requirements, oversight of BBC treasury and liability management,
• Ensure effective and robust governance, systems and resourcing for Tax in order to meet the expectations of the Group and commercial subsidiaries. Provide oversight of BBC Group tax affairs and projects ensuring effective governance and compliance with legislation.
• Responsible for managing Group debt obligations
• In partnership with the FD, FP&I, offer constructive and insightful challenge in-year results against budget developed by the BBC’s commercial subsidiaries as part of the annual planning and reporting cycle and governance of the subsidiaries; offer similar challenge and review of other initiatives developed across the BBC Group as required.
• In partnership with the FD, FP&I review and critically appraise divisions’ long term financial plans and annual budgets, ensuring consistent assumptions are made across the BBC, strategic objectives are addressed, action plans properly agreed and reflected.
• Review and critique divisional investment proposals to make recommendation to CFO or ExCo as required.
• Provide the BBC Group Finance and ExCo with objective analysis of business, highlighting key issues and problem areas as well as making appropriate recommendations for action.
• In partnership with the Director, FP&I, provide the BBC Group CFO and Group COO with objective analysis of business performance, highlighting key issues and problem areas as well as making appropriate recommendations for action.
• Provide effective and efficient processes for all group reporting and set relevant financial and operating policies.
• Act as the BBC Group’s representative on commercial and Group subsidiary boards as required and provide oversight. The role will have accountability for the relationship with the BBC commercial subsidiary.
• Develop, control and manage the finances of the BBC, ensuring the organisation actively controls its cash.
• Own the relationship with our external auditors as required.
• Own the relationship with our relevant external bodies e.g. DCMS
• Own, oversee and lead BBC Group through the annual 3-year budget process and in year-planning cycles. This includes: monthly, quarterly and yearly reviews.
• Ensure the BBC stays within its financial quotas e.g. borrowing limit and banking covenants.
• Provide inspirational leadership and support career development and talent retention.
• Contribute to the wider development and leadership of the division, promoting and championing collaboration, creativity and diversity.

Are You The Right Candidate?

• As a top subject matter expert, recognised throughout the BBC and likely also externally, will provide thought leadership, creativity, innovation and clear direction across area of accountability, fostering strong performance and bringing strong operational skills that support the BBC in becoming a simpler and more efficient organisation.
• Able to lead the BBC with long-term vision using cutting edge creative, technical and/or professional skills.
• Understanding of taxation, financial controllership at group level
• Adept at managing numerous, diverse senior and executive level stakeholders, able to undertake significant change and activities with wide-ranging BBC impact, often operating under tight timescales and managing numerous competing priorities.
• Ability to contribute to long term objectives and strategies with major impact on the function/division, and often the BBC as a whole.
• A convincing and persuasive communicator, able to influence and negotiate with senior stakeholders across the BBC, and external agencies/stakeholders, often required to present and defend complicated issues which have a wide-ranging impact on the BBC.
• Thorough understanding of the way in which programmes are commissioned, financed and produced.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the BBC on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference HAFQD. Alternatively telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by midnight on 16^th July.